Prenolepis darlena, Williams, Jason L., 2016

Williams, Jason L., 2016, Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of the ant genus Prenolepis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Zootaxa 4200 (2), pp. 201-258 : 219

Prenolepis darlena , sp. nov.

( Figs 63–65 )

Holotype worker. NEPAL: 16km ENE Baglung, 28°18’N 83°46’E, 1100m, Schima-Castanopsis forest , 27.xi.1988 (P.S. Ward) ( USNM: USNMENT00755129); 2 paratype workers, same locality as holotype ( USNM: USNMENT00755162).

Worker diagnosis. Three small ocelli present; petiole low in profile and very narrow and elongate (PetWI <55) with a rounded dorsal apex of the scale ( Fig 51 ); erect setae on scapes; head square in shape.

Most similar species. P. fisheri , P. fustinoda

Morphology. Worker. Measurements (n=3): CMC: 28–34; EL: 0.23–0.26; EW: 0.18–0.21; HL: 0.70–0.78; HLA: 0.38–0.42; HLP: 0.17–0.19; HW: 0.69–0.78; IOD: 0.45–0.49; LF1: 0.16–0.18; LF2: 0.07; LHT: 0.79–0.95; MMC: 1–3; MTW: 0.37–0.45; MW: 0.27–0.31; PDH: 0.31–0.32; PMC: 2–6; PrCL: 0.39–0.45; PrCW: 0.24–0.29; PrFL: 0.66–0.75; PrFW: 0.19–0.22; PTH: 0.21–0.25; PTL: 0.35–0.47; PTW: 0.18–0.24; PW: 0.48–0.52; SL: 0.78– 0.91; TL: 2.64–3.10; WF1: 0.05–0.07; WF2: 0.05–0.06; WL: 0.93–1.04; BLI: 133–136; CI: 98–100; EPI: 195– 233; FLI: 242–258; HTI: 114–123; PetHI: 67–69; PetWI: 51–54; PrCI: 60–69; PrFI: 28–30; REL: 32–34; REL2: 33–34; REL3: 51–54; SI: 113–120.

Light brown; cuticle of head lightly reticulate; cuticle of pronotum smooth and shiny; cuticle of gaster lightly reticulate; long, erect setae on scapes, head, mesosoma, and legs; head as broad as long and square in shape with rounded posterolateral corners; posterior margin straight; three small ocelli present; eyes moderately large and convex, but do not surpass the lateral margins of the head in full-face view; torulae do not touch the posterior border of the clypeus; clypeus strongly medially convex and without prominent anterolateral lobes ( Fig 39 ); mandibles with 5–6 teeth on the masticatory margin; ectal surface of mandibles smooth and shiny; in profile view, propodeum is domed with a rounded dorsal face ( Fig 16 ); petiole low in profile and very narrow and elongate (PetWI <55) with a rounded dorsal apex of the scale ( Fig 51 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is named after the first author’s mother, Darlene.

Notes. This species is most similar to P. fustinoda in that the petiole is elongate with a scale that is low in profile. The scale however does not have the distinct club-like shape that is seen in P. fustinoda . The head in this species is also square in shape with a straight posterior margin, while in P. fisheri and P. fustinoda the head is subtriangular with a weakly convex posterior margin.

Other material examined. THAILAND: Doi Inthanon, 1950m, 16.iv.1981 (W.L. Brown). In: MCZC.

Figures

FIGURES 63 – 65. Prenolepis darlena holotype worker USNMENT 00755129. Lateral, full-face, and dorsal view of the body.

FIGURES 51 – 56. Illustrations of petiole shapes (profile view) observed in Prenolepis species. 51, P. darlena; 52, P. fustinoda; 53, P. imparis (typical shape seen in most Prenolepis species); 54, P. jacobsoni; 55, P. jerdoni; 56, P. subopaca.

FIGURES 38 – 50. Illustrations of clypeus shapes (full-face view) observed in all Prenolepis species. Apparent differences in width of torulae are artifacts of specimen orientation. In some species the torulae are oriented more laterally. 38, P. angularis; 39, P. darlena; 40, P. fisheri; 41, P. fustinoda; 42, P. imparis; 43, P. jacobsoni; 44, P. jerdoni; 45, P. mediops; 46, P. melanogaster; 47, P. naoroji; 48, P. nitens; 49, P. shanialena; 50, P. subopaca.

FIGURES 15 – 27. Illustrations of mesosoma shapes (profile view) observed in all Prenolepis species. 15, P. angularis; 16, P. darlena; 17, P. fisheri; 18, P. fustinoda; 19, P. imparis; 20, P. jacobsoni; 21, P. jerdoni; 22, P. mediops; 23, P. melanogaster; 24, P. naoroji; 25, P. nitens; 26, P. shanialena; 27, P. subopaca.